


The Journal of Synthesis Thirty Two

by spaceyfish



Series: Alicization Alternative [4]
Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, M/M, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:53:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24296908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceyfish/pseuds/spaceyfish
Summary: Rated M for implied content.Eugeo is left alone to investigate his childhood friend's missing memories, but needs to avoid raising the suspicions of the Administrator.Meanwhile Alice has her own concerns...will they both be able to push back against the law of the land?Part 4 in a long divergence series!
Relationships: Eugeo/Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito
Series: Alicization Alternative [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1320422
Comments: 10
Kudos: 61





	The Journal of Synthesis Thirty Two

**Author's Note:**

> Before you read, I hope you're doing well and I hope this can distract you from anything going on in your life even for a minute! As usual, I sweat over this part. I wanted this arc to be standalone and I wanted it to be it's own solid piece. A short story, rather than a chaptered work. Thank you ahead of time for being patient with my writing, and hopefully my ideas ring clear.

Eugeo is a barely contained ball of anxiety as he is led up the cathedral steps, into the central tower, and almost is unable to process how large and how empty it is as they make their way upwards, the procession of knights excusing themselves one by one by one. The knight he believes to be Alice disappears at some point after they ride the strange art powered platform. He has yet to see any number of people or staff to warrant how large the building is and something about that lack of human life adds to his instinctual discomfort. 

And then it is just the two of them and he wishes one of the knights would stay, just so another would be in the room. Eugeo knew it wouldn't help ease his worries that she would see right through him, see his broken seal, name him a criminal, but he still preferred the threat of a knight to...Her.

The platform they had entered the room through had disappeared and Eugeo took a small step backwards, dropping into a submissive kneel as she stepped forward. He wasn't supposed to meet her eyes, he remembered, it was rude, and he wasn't to stand at level with her.

"Rise, Eugeo. I will be educating you myself."

Eugeo couldn't help but let out a noise of surprise.

"I suppose you are wondering why? You caught my eye is all. Not just anyone could fell the tree I planted. While on the upper floors, you may call me Quinella."

"Lady Quinella...I do not know what to say to such an unprecedented honor."

She smiled and Eugeo felt his fear go from the normal level he'd feel facing an unknown high standing noble, to an instinctual fight or flight response.

"Now, young Eugeo, let us begin. I do not require such...false manners. That is not an invitation to be rude, but you treat me with respect and I shall do the same."

"Yes, my Lady."

"First…your eye. And don't play dumb, explain how you broke the seal."

Eugeo had heard most say they felt ice cold with fear in unexpected situations, breaking into a cold sweat, but at that order Eugeo felt his thoughts go into overdrive, his skin warming from the cold anxiety it had dropped into.

Once again, instinctually, like a cornered wildcat, Eugeo knew it would be bad to run, to lie. He was unsure what his mind was screaming at him to be wary of, but usually his instincts didn't lead him astray. Or maybe it was Kirito's influence.

He took a minute to think about his answer. The whole event was hazy, he had been asleep, comfortable, and sure. More than anything else he was sure of what he wanted to do and refused to be stopped by an outside force. 

"I believe I was determined...to make it here."

"Hm...an intense moment of determination...focus...matches with previous subjects..Thank you for being honest. You just arrived and I wouldn't have wanted us to start off on the wrong foot."

Eugeo fought the urge to cower at Quinella's seemingly warm smile. 

_ I don't understand. I was nervous before, but what is this fear? What did she mean by previous subjects? So even she doesn't know what the seal really is? _

After that they spoke about nothing of consequence, Eugeo's time at the academy, his strengths in bladework and the arts. She listened to his answers with an attentive ear and Eugeo found himself answering her with less and less caution.

"Synthesis Thirty will soon arrive to show you your rooms. For tomorrow, I will have some texts left with you for study. Training will start the day after that. Come here once you are freshened for the day. The time does not matter."

"Yes ma'am."

Eugeo felt himself resist turning to look over his shoulder as Alice arrived to guide him.

He was unsure what to say the entire walk. As he's about to enter his new room, he turned to thank her. He was met with a nod.

"W-wait! I..Um...have we met somewhere before?"

"Never. Why do you ask?"

"Ugh. Nevermind."

Eugeo resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall as he shut the door behind him. He would have done it just to make himself forget the embarrassment of not being able to hold a conversation if not for the shock of seeing his rooms. He and Kirito's rooms at the academy were one thing, but this was the size of their house in Zakkaria and it was just for one person.

He gently set his blade against the wall- which seemed to be made of a strange almost sandy cream stone. He was sure he would suffer no discomfort running his hands across it.

The main room had but one large seat, wide enough to hold four and deep enough to sleep in without worrying about falling off. A table with a top from which Eugeo could see his reflection in, sat atop an iron welded frame.

_ Glass? _

There was no kitchen, their meals were to be eaten in the dining halls, but to make up for that, there was a small study. The window spanned one wall of the room, an empty bookshelf sat on one corner and a desk across from the door.

_ Selka would love this _ .

The bedroom was large to account for the bed that could cold three comfortably and he had the childish urge to jump on it.

He did not.

The next day was spent reading through a rather large stack of books delivered by a sister in training. It left him no space to think and left him exhausted. 

When he woke he scrambled to get ready, unsure of the time. He had been so involved in his study he didn't even remember getting the blanket that slipped off his shoulders as he stood, stretching. He hoped that anytime really meant anytime, as he had just overslept for the first time in what was likely a year. He supposed the stress of studying at the academy, worrying about Kirito, then Selka, then Kirito again, and now Alice, had worn him down. 

He worried that he would lose his way trying to climb the floors again for his lesson, but he surprised himself as he managed, turn by turn.

He hoped Kirito and Selka were alright without him, but he thought they were fine, they didn't need him around. Eugeo felt a tug. He needed them. He buried that feeling as far as he could until it just left him wishing he had his blade at his waist.

The minister greeted him with a stare.

"Sit."

A table and a lone chair had been placed further into the room.

"First, I assume you are wondering why I brought you here?"

Why he had been chosen and why she had even sought a student was beyond his comprehension. Eugeo did not want to risk offense to even hint at the question because it was akin to questioning her.

He nodded, too intimidated to lie.

She gave a pleased smile, "There were many reasons. You cut my tree. Your seal is gone. I need to see how the citizens have progressed. I will not get a clear view from the two nobles - which thank you for that, I hear they are unable to be awakened now? You will be explaining that. I will get a much better view from you, an urchin from the countryside of low upbringing."

He felt as though his mouth had been sealed shut as he realized what scared him so much about the pontificate.

"Well? Explain."

She didn't see her subjects as people. She didn't think of them as individuals. Eugeo could hear it in the way she demanded truths from him. She was collecting information.

"I-um-"

She frowned impatiently.

Eugeo suddenly understood the discomfort and anxiety he felt around her as he gave the barest explanation he could of the incident without mentioning Selka.

"A shame. Those two were to be my shiny new knights. The promotion would easily quiet those two families."

It was fear that stopped him from thinking about people such as Humbert and Raios being appointed the authority of a Knight. If he thought about it he would be angry and he was terrified of the Minister seeing his discontent. She would be angry and he was certain he didn't want that directed at him.

After that she lightly quizzed him on the reading he had done and taught him some newer techniques on channeling the arts.

At the end of what turned out to be a full day's lesson, with Eugeo feeling unaccountably exhausted, he let his guard down for a second as he prepared to stand and the unthinkable happened.

He felt a slender hand press on his head, lightly combing its way through his hair.

His heart sped up and he sat as still as possible as the most powerful human in the lands pet him.

"You did well today Eugeo, make sure to rest tonight, you seem tired. It must be hard being away from your family for so long, yes? I hear it's been years. Don't worry, we will make this a home for you."

Her voice was gentle and soothing and motherly. Her words are a direct contrast to the almost clinical questioning he had received that morning.

"...Thank you."

His voice didn't sound like his own and he felt like he'd walked from her rooms in a haze.

He didn't even notice when Alice greeted him of her own volition.

"Eugeo, may I ask if you are well?"

"Hm? I'm fine."

"You seem...unfocused. I may not be your mentor but you are welcome to ask me for help if such a need arises."

"...why me? You don't know me." He sounded cold even to his own ears, but he felt he should take the whole "you knew me when you were a kid" concern very slowly just as he had with Kirito's amnesia. 

"As a Knight, it would be disgraceful of me to leave someone in need to struggle."

Eugeo's hand stopped as he reached for his door, he felt something like warmth rush back through him. Alice was still kind.

"...Thank you, Miss Knight."

As he closed the door behind him he felt like he'd grabbed something back from that day when he watched Alice get taken away. This Synthesis Knight Thirty was kind in the same way Alice had been to him.

Later that night he runs a hand across his forehead and then backwards as he purposely messes up his hair, fluffing it up. He childishly thought that Kirito's headpats were better and Selka's words were far more reassuring and she had work to do if she thought she was going to win him over that way. 

He found it much easier to find sleep that night. 

The next day was much of the same. She asked questions and he answered and listened until his mind went numb from all the information.

"Very good, Eugeo. You do pick up things fast."

She sat across from him and he felt the room tilt beneath his feet.

The most powerful woman was sitting across from him so casually.

He wanted to ask if he should kneel or  _ anything _ other than sitting across from her, but he found himself too tired to say a word.

"How are you feeling today? Still tired? You can just nod if you're too fatigued."

Eugeo finds himself nodding, answering the request before he can think.

"Very well, close your eyes right there. It is no bother if you fall asleep."

Eugeo intended to blink, but ended up closing his eyes as she suggested. When he next opened them, the moon was shining through the skylight. He was sitting next to her, his head on her shoulder.

He almost fell off his seat in an attempt to create space.

She paid him no mind as she bid him goodnight.

The touches to his hair and shoulder seemed to be her version of a hug.

He was silent as Alice once again accompanied him back, Eugeo occasionally shifting the books in his arms.

"You seem quite exhausted, let me help you with those-" Eugeo moved faster than he could think, dropping the books and hopping away from Alice's raised hand.

They stared at each other for a long moment. Eugeo wordlessly began to pick up the books, letting Alice take half of them from the floor.

"...She really gave you a lot of work. She must think highly of you."

"...You think so?"

Eugeo didn't let Alice walk close to him, he didn't want her to think he was creepy or anything with how much he wanted to befriend her. 

Alice nodded, her thoughts preoccupied as to what could cause such a reaction from a raised hand. He'd shown no trauma before then and he'd only seen Her and she would never hurt them.

"Have you recently been in battle?"

Eugeo throws a baffled look towards her before answering, "No."

"Have you ever been taken prisoner?"

"What? No."

"Hm. Strange. I am merely curious as to what your earlier jumpiness was about."

"Oh. I...am not sure myself."

Eugeo almost wants to ask why she cares, but the questioning, though new to him, was more proof that the Alice he knows is still there. Only she would care about a complete stranger like this.

"You seemed content...if not nervous when we first arrived. Did something change?"

"Nothing changed, exactly…"

_ I am still extremely nervous. And the private lessons aren't helping. Maybe I'm just jumpy? _

"Are the lessons too difficult for you?"

Eugeo frowned, he hated having his intelligence demeaned. Alice was steadfast and stubborn but she had never questioned people quite like this. Eugeo was starting to feel a bit cornered.

"They aren't too difficult."

Alice is quiet for a moment.

"Apologies. I am told I can come off as...I think Uncle called me a dog with a bone. It's impressive that you are learning so easily. I had trouble at first."

She held the door open for Eugeo and he reminded himself that she was just being kind as she placed the books on the table. 

He continued to remind himself of this as they shared dinner together in the dining hall and bid each other goodnight. 

As he tried to sleep he didn't think about anything. 

The next lesson saw him asleep by the end of it much like the one before. He woke up to the canopy of the large bed that sat in her rooms. His eyelids weighed themselves down as he struggled to stand. He felt cold as She helped him to stand. He excused himself, quickly feeling uncomfortable in the situation. He felt his thoughts were slower than his body's reactions. He walked straight past Alice, his eyes wide as she grabbed him by the arm. He stopped frozen and didn't move as he felt himself filled with sudden emotion.

Fear.

_ I'm afraid. Why am I scared? _

"Eugeo?"

_ I can't stop shaking. Get a grip! I can't let Alice worry about me- _

"What happened?" Her voice dropped to the barest whisper, Eugeo wouldn't have heard had they not been standing so close together, "Was She...has something been done to you?"

At the question Eugeo goes completely still, shaking his head unconvincingly.

Alice was silent as she let go of his arm. She scanned his face consideringly.

"Follow me."

Eugeo finds himself obeying instantly, without even thinking about it. He doesn't realize what he's done until he's startled by the sound of an open door and his own footsteps on wooden floors.

Suddenly reason returns to him. Usually he would question any situation with Alice. In the past 2 weeks he hasn't had a moment to investigate the glaring fact that she does not remember him. He had lightly questioned her on her past before becoming a knight but it seemed that even she believed that she was summoned from the celestial plane.

Which means the Minister has something to do with her missing memories.

He doesn't want to push her away with strange questions or pushiness as he's found she's grown to be quite formal and surprisingly more stubborn than she ever had been. But if she believes in what is turning out to be a huge lie about her past, what about the other synthesis knights? Do they all believe they were summoned when they were really all as human as everyone else?

"Eugeo? Please feel free to take a seat."

He sits.

She is quiet as she prepares tea for them both.

"It is...safe here. Tell me, how are your lessons going?"

He opens his mouth to answer her truthfully, to say how he thought She was getting in his head, how he didn't know what happened to make him fall asleep, how he didn't know what She was doing to him and the lack of control made him feel indescribably unsafe-

But no sound came from his mouth.

He swallowed and tried again with the same result.

"...Miss Thirty? Would you happen to have...paper?" It was almost unheard of to ask to borrow parchment. Paper was expensive, the process to create it was a pain, and the materials needed to make it were just plain annoying to gather.

Alice merely nodded and pulled a journal from a shelf, passing it to him along with some ink.

He opened the book and he wrote. He described how their leader had planted the tree that sucked the life from the lands around their village. How she had plucked him from the school and named him a knight merely to gather miscellaneous information.

She questioned him every lesson.

How he slept during the recent lessons and woke in various locations.

Alice read, and as she read her face grew pale.

_ As I thought...she had suspicions too… _

Eugeo thought there were too many holes in the web the Minister had woven for people  _ not _ to doubt things within the cathedral. His fear had not lessened, and his paranoia had risen while writing his answers. What if he is so under Her control that he won't be able to remember what he was here for? Or maybe he would lose his memories completely? He couldn't wait any longer.

"Alice- um I mean. Miss Thirty? May I ask a strange question?"

She nods.

"Do you...remember me?"

"...What do you mean?"

"I knew you...as a child."

Almost automatically, Alice responded, "Impossible, we Synthesis Knights have been summoned here by-"

"You hate garlic. You used to be afraid of the dark. Actually I think you were still afraid, you just hid it better. You are really good at making people feel like they've been yelled at without actually yelling-"

Eugeo was stopped by the slightly outraged look on the knight's face.

"From my perspective we only met a mere two weeks ago. There is no way you could know that I'm...scared of the dark." The end part is mumbled, as she stands.

"Regardless, if I cannot remember, how do I know you are telling the truth?"

"...you don't. But you read what I wrote, right? If I don't tell you and my theory is right and something happens to me...please let me try to convince you. Will you listen, at least for today?"

She sits back down, giving him her full attention.

"You grew up in Rulid village. We were...best friends. Me, you, and Kirito."

"Kirito?"

"Actually...forget him for now. I'm actually not sure about that part, mostly because the two of us can't remember it properly. Let me start over. You grew up in Rulid village. Your father was, and still is, the chief, and your sister is training in the sacred arts."

Alice looks overwhelmed already but he ignores this as he tells her everything he can about her childhood and how she was taken away.

Having someone else know about their childhood, even if she doesn't believe it, eases his fears enough for him to walk back to his room after dinner.

He feels like he has a rather beautiful bodyguard rather than a senior knight as she tells him she will see him in the morning and not to leave without her.

It reminds him of how she would walk with him after their respective days were over and sometimes pick him up even though she stayed in the church for her training. All the trouble she went through for him. Even after all this time, nothing had changed at all. The idea that she was still herself, even without her memories, comforted him.

He manages to remove his armor but is too tired to change his clothes. He knows he will smell come morning but he is too exhausted to stand, let alone take a bath.

He falls asleep early, and sleeps deeply. So deeply that he dreams.

_ "Kirito! You made it!" _

_ "Of course I did! You think anyone could beat me?" _

_ Eugeo laughed despite himself, "Don't get cocky. You're inviting some kind of disaster." _

_ Kirito smiles at him, "I did it for you. I couldn't leave you alone, could I?" _

_ Eugeo frowns. Kirito always did his best to be there for him but they always made sure he was thinking of himself as well. _

_ "But...you wanted to, right? You liked studying at the academy…? You liked adventuring?" _

_ "I did it for you. You needed me so...I had to do it." _

_ "No...no you didn't. I never wanted to burden you Kirito. If I knew I never would have let you come with me…" _

_ "I could have gone travelling after we fulfilled our tasks but you needed my help. I just felt bad. I can do all that later anyway." _

_ They were sitting in the grass, back to back, flowers red all around them, heat swelteringly hot. _

_ "You said I wasn't pressuring you-" _

_ "Why would I say you were? I'm not cruel." _

_ "You said you needed me…" _

_ The sound of cicadas grows louder and louder until he can barely hear Kirito's voice. There were vines wrapping around Eugeo's ankles and acid burning at his back. _

_ "I didn't need you, but you needed me to need you." _

Eugeo snaps awake, breathing heavily as he launches himself off his bed and onto the floor with a painful thud.

He stays where he falls, unease settling in his gut. He misses Kirito. He doesn't want to see him. 

The days follow the same pattern for another week. He wakes from various nightmares disguised as peaceful dreams before going to lessons. Eventually he only remembers minutes of each lesson. When he wakes his clothing is shifted or his falls differently around him from when he first donned his armor for the day. Straps loose or his tunic tucked differently. The fifth day he throws up just outside the disk that carries them between the floors. The sixth day he stops reacting.

The nightmares persist through it all, until he is having them even during waking hours.

He swore when he wasn't paying attention, when he was alone, late at night, something was scratching at the walls of his room.

On one of his walks back with Alice, he tells her about the journey he, Kirito, and Selka had. He doesn't feel himself as he recites it but he tells her everything. She accepts it easily. He is afraid because he can't make himself feel, even when talking about his family. He feels alone. He wants someone to save him from this place.

Occasionally he will hear Her voice saying She will help him. Saying he deserves Her. Saying she is his family.

A week and a half into lessons, he believes her.

"Eugeo, you are such a good boy. Much better than little Alice was. She took so much longer to get through to. Never gave in like this! Oh, you are so interesting. I wonder how you would react if you knew?"

"I'm...good?"

"Yes. Very much so."

"We're family?"

"Yes. Which is why I will tell you this."

Eugeo barely blinked as she explained the workings of the Synthesis Knights and how they were human just like him.

He didn't move an inch as she stroked his hair. He usually only let Kirito or Selka soothe him like this, why was he allowing Her so close?

"Well?"

"I think you're wrong. But you're my... family.”  _ Family…? She’s not family...Why am I... _ “So I will protect you and...maybe you'll listen to me at some point."

He didn’t understand the words coming out of his own mouth.

It is dangerously silent before she bursts into laughter. 

"Impressive, even now you hold such ideals. Eugeo, will you do as I say?"

"Yes."  _ No...no... _

"Repeat after me. Say the sacred words…"

"< _ System call…" _

_ "Remove core protection." _

_ "Remove core protection.>" _

A hand slips into his own and he wants it gone he doesn't want anyone touching him. He wants Kirito. He wants Alice. He wants Selka. What art did he recite? Why would he just say an art? 

_ " _ I found your snapping point. Your most important feeling. The longing for your family. You still  _ want _ so badly. Don't worry Eugeo, you will find I have much to give." He wants to tell her that he doesn't want anything, not really. But he knows that's not true either. But she's wrong, she's wrong about him, about the knights, about everything.

There is a pressure at his forehead and unease drifts on the back of his neck. 

"You have this rather desperate need to protect. Let's find exactly who you value most and let us...replace that with a more suitable subject for you to protect. For now.."

Alice had learned more than she had ever wanted to learn about another person in the last few weeks. She desperately hoped the trainees that would emerge from the academy would be far less trouble. 

She wouldn't say it aloud, but she believed Eugeo. He was easy to understand, earnest, and painfully kind. 

The way he acted around her and anticipated her actions proved to her that he knew her far more easily than his story did. 

And if that was true then.. what had been done to her? Was it the same loss of self she was seeing in Eugeo every day? 

She went into his rooms the next day and retrieved the journal she had lent him. 

Selka had seen Kirito fight seriously before, they had travelled together for a long time after all.

However, the day of the test was the first time she had ever seen him so intent on making sure his opponent would fall and do so quickly.

Before the battle she had asked why he seemed so jumpy.

His response had been simple.

"Eugeo hates being alone so I want to be at his side. As quickly as we can get there. We don't have time for a full day's duel."

Regardless of his feelings, she was unsure how he would speed up a duel. The only way it would end early was if the other forfeit.

The start of the duel was signalled and Kirito leapt forward with a guttural yell. His opponent jumped, beginning to shift backwards but only managing to fall on his rear as Kirito's momentum puts him firmly in striking range.

He aims for a shoulder hit, but manages to cut his opponent's ponytail in the process.

He looks baffled for a moment, Selka supposes he was only trying to scare him with the quick hit, but it seems he's not being as careful as normal.

The look fades quickly as he begins a single minded attack. He leaves no time for his opponent to recover but doesn't disarm them to end the match.

"Is he trying to tire him out?"

She was reminded of the tournament at Zakkaria between Eugeo and Kirito and she hoped for his opponent's sake, that it ended quickly. 

Quinella chuckles to herself as she dismisses Eugeo. She hadn't gotten to attempt a more 'natural' synthesis since Alice and she felt her interest in the boy sharpened to a fine point. She was so sure he would have broken under her usual method yet he had somehow survived two weeks of her tutelage. Even Bercoulli normally only lasted two days when she retuned him.

Eugeo was not fully synthesized yet either.

She had spent every lesson twisting his core little by little. She would have him like a certain way she pronounced something, or a way she called his name. She had investigated him thoroughly the times she had dragged him to sleep. She made it so the smell of her perfume reminded him of comfort.

All designed to create a longing for her, for him to think the best of her.

Yet he still resisted her enough to say she was wrong. She didn't ask him to explain, nor did he elaborate. He had no will left to elaborate with. She wanted him to only move for her sake. Never before had she wanted a Knight so thoroughly under her heel.

None but Alice had ever managed to resist her like this.

She had managed to slip the module into the hole she'd created in his memories. Replacing certain likes with things of her own had naturally frayed his mind. But the module would not last against his natural defenses unless she figured out what was most important to him. What did Eugeo care for most?

From what she had learned of him, he was quite lonely. It should have been obvious from their conversations but she could pick no one he seemed to favor. She knew it was none of his family or teachers so that left those his own age. 

He hadn't mentioned them.

She laughed. 

Kirito's first steps into the cathedral were anticlimactic. He barely remembered the days leading up to, and after his graduation.

"Tread carefully," was the advice given to him, but he wasn't sure what to do aside from 'find Eugeo'. He didn't dare ask where he was or what he was doing. He knew better than to give any information not asked of him.

But the crystal felt as though it had stabbed deep into his heart.

He felt nothing.

The knight guiding him had long flowing hair, golden where the afternoon light shone upon it. Armor cleaned to a shine, and sword tucked against her waist.

He knew this was Alice in a way he knew his own hand.

But he shouldn't.

He looked at her as she turned towards him.

She spoke, but he couldn't hear her, all he could feel was burning and more burning in his skull.

He saw grassy fields and two heads of light hair running before him.

"Kirito! Hurry up, we're going to be late!"

"Let's go, let's go! Selka's might be waiting for us by now!"

He feels himself grin and laugh as he's pulled along. He feels his throat burn. He never felt this happy as a child. Why couldn't he have this? What had really taken over his childhood was emptiness and longing and loneliness that had only been eased by the kind actions of his adopted family.

He meets eyes with the other two children as they speed across the fields towards what he now sees to be Rulid village.

As he closes his eyes to enjoy the breeze he feels the earth fall from beneath him.

He opens his eyes to Alice, older, blank faced, and staring at him.

"Kirito, there is nothing to take care of today, so I shall show you to your rooms. And-"

Alice looks like she has something to say but stops short.

"Miss Knight…was there something further?"

Her voice is low when she responds, soothing to Kirito's ears, "Alice is fine. Come."

They walk in silence, Alice greeting her fellows as she passes them in various states of relaxing, or training, or winding down for the day.

They reach his door and she unceremoniously pushes Kirito inside before coming in behind him.

She swiftly locks the door and before Kirito can make a noise she slaps a hand over his mouth.

Once she is sure he will be silent she releases him, "A moment."

She presses an ear against the wall.

"Right. Sit."

He looks at her incredulously. 

" _ Sit. _ "

He sits.

She reaches into her pouch, pulling a thick leather bound journal from within.

"This is from Eugeo."

Kirito reaches out to grab it but she pulls away.

"Before I give this to you, listen to me. He told me everything."

"What do you mean?"

"We don't have time for you to play dumb. I know neither of you have a seal on your eye. I know of the crystal around your neck. A rather reckless and harmful use of the arts that I'm surprised anyone would allow-"

"I didn't allow it!" Kirito burst out, unable to stay silent any further, "He-!"

Her eyebrow raised.

"He told me he was fine...he...I don't want him hurt. I never would."

"Very well. We will leave that for later. You knew me as a child."

Kirito's eyes widened.

"My sister was at the academy. When can I meet her?"

"She'll be here tomorrow...she graduated with me."

Alice allowed a faint smile to grace her face and Kirito stared, transfixed. He didn't remember her being quite this pretty as a child.

He looked away, embarrassed.

"How has Eugeo been, where is he?"

"Kirito...promise you won't do anything rash. From what I've heard you have quite the tendency for-"

" _ Please _ , Alice."

"I believe the pontificate has done something to him."

Kirito was silent.

"I don't think it's safe to be near him. He seems to do  _ everything _ she says."

"How long has he been like this…?"

"From my observations? Weeks. He feared something was happening which is why he wrote this."

And she handed him the journal.

And Kirito read.

He read about how the pontificate had been the one to plant the Gigas tree in the first place.

How she hadn't scouted Eugeo but stolen him away from the academy because she had already known where he had been, what he'd done the past few years, the fact that he didn't have a seal.

The only thing that kept his eyes steady as he read was that she didn't seem to know the specifics, didn't know any important details about Eugeo that would incriminate him.

He hadn't shared the names of anyone he knew but had merely expressed discomfort with Her. It was always Her rather than her and eventually pontificate gave way to Administrator. Why such a word? It set off alarm bells for Eugeo. Did she know what that word meant? Was she actually of Rath?

At some point Alice set a cup of tea before him before she went to check the wall again. He didn't touch it.

He read about how he started to fall unconscious, about his nightmares about how Kirito actually didn't care about him- about how  _ no one _ cared about him. 

About how he felt to find the Administrator hovering over him when he awakened, about how he stopped feeling anything.

And then Administrator changed to Quinella, Lady, Madam Quinella, and it was all about her and how he was grateful she wasn't incriminating him for all the 'heretic' tendencies he seemed to have.

He put the journal down, his mind racing.

He hadn't realized Alice had sat across from him. He picked up the cup of tea in a desperate bid to distract at least his body but dropped it.

He watched the spill spread on the unforgiving floor.

"Alice…?"

"Yes?"

"It's true. I did know you as a child. I don't know where my memories have gone but...I know it's true."

"He told me about our childhood."

"He remembered? We never got to talk about that."

"Kirito. Tonight I will break my seal."

He stared at her. She looked away, unable to stand his expression.

"And tomorrow we will take Eugeo, and Selka, and we will leave here. It is not just him. I think she has done this to all the Knights in some way. This is not what I want to fight for."

"We can save him?"

Alice truly didn't know how to deal with the heartbreak she saw on Kirito's face.

"I think so. He told me of the keepsake he made for you- by the way, do  _ not _ let him ever do something like that again. He did not merely transfer a bit of his Life. Which is no small feat! He did worse, a piece of his soul is in that. A memory, his Life, and a piece of a precious object, only active for another Life he cares for."

"It's not active though...it feels empty." He pulls it from beneath his tunic.

"But it still shines. He's still there. We can use that to break whatever spell she has on him."

"We were seperated for a few weeks but I know one thing now. Every second he was gone, I wanted him by my side. I can't lose him...also, he's in trouble for not being honest about this."

Kirito grips the shard of the blue rose blade and takes a deep breath, "Okay...what's the plan?"

"First...how skilled is Selka?"

"Your task for today and tomorrow will be to patrol the cathedral. Think of it as practice."

Eugeo bowed as he departed for the lower floors.

Quinella smiled as she set her new knight on his task. It was a test. She knew everything that went on, not merely in the castle but she had the ability to observe everything across the lands. She wanted to see how encompassing her control was, how far he would go for her even in such a simple task as to walk the gardens and floors of the castle.

She waved to open a console window before her. Her contact from Rath had not spoken with her for a long time. Perhaps something had happened. It did not matter to her, as long as the light cube cluster was safe, she could act.

She had surprised herself in the last few weeks. She had never expected to take such interest in a nobody from the countryside.

She needed to calm herself. This all was merely because she had been observing him since her tree had been cut. It would have been easy for her to restore it but she had decided not to sully his victory. There was another boy with him at the time but she paid him no mind. He was even more unremarkable than Eugeo himself.

The final load was coming. She had rough plans of a golem but there were less and less reasons to go through with it. She could easily crush the Dark Empire on her own. They had no true leader. No real border defense. The progress she'd made with Eugeo promised her an army infinitely stronger than the golems, capable of thought, reason, and the human empire would strengthen beyond it. 

She also knew of her artificial sister. Her other self. She knew that she lingered nearby. Perhaps she would be able to entice her into revealing herself.

The amount of energy and sacred energy that her new little knight had astounded her. This was the difference between a forcibly wiped cube and a reformatted one. Perhaps she had been going about things the wrong way.

It did not matter, she had all the time in the world to readjust her plans. 

Luckily for Selka, she had been brought to the cathedral by an Integrity Knight still in training. She was fully amazed that somehow all three of them had managed to make it so far without being seperated.

She mentally prepared herself for the grandeur of her first steps into the cathedral. The heavy doors swing open. The floor is practically glittering as it reflects sol's light and she expects an echo as her boots hit the floor.

She looks around only for her eyes to find the familiar form of Kirito.

She rolls her eyes, she supposes she's stuck with him. Not that she minds.

"Excuse me, would it be alright to greet my classmate?"

The knight allows the diversion and she steps quickly over to him, curious how things went the day before.

Kirito's smile seems notably forced up close.

She pretends not to notice, "Hey."

She feels her heart break a little when she hears his voice, "Selka, hi. H-how was your dragon ride?" His eyes looked puffy, his skin pale. 

She opened her mouth to ask if he was okay but instead Kirito's arms wrapped gently around her shoulders. She felt a hand slip something into her pocket. For the moment she ignores that to hug her brother back. 

"Selka… it's up to you, I know you can do this."

"I'll protect you, I promise," She whispers back, his face seems to wrinkle at her comment and he shakes his head but he doesn't argue further. The lack of fight tells her things are worse than she'd like.

He waves goodbye as she rejoins her escort. 

His eyebrows are raised as he toys with a tuft of lavender hair, "Not merely a classmate, then?"

Selka flushes at the insinuation, disgust running through her at the thought of getting between Eugeo and Kirito, but lets it be, "We have known each other for a long time."

Once left to her devices, a rare chance to a room to herself, she reaches into her pocket. What she thought to be a small slip of a note turns out to be a large piece of parchment, folded over and over, filled with cramped writing. What she reads appraises her of a dire situation. She understands why Kirito looked the way he did.

As usual, her sister was impressive. She'd basically had her entire world flipped upside down yet she was already there defending Eugeo and Kirito. She'd possibly put herself in danger merely by finding out what was going on.

She flopped backwards onto her bed. It was fluffier than anything she'd ever slept on before. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed.

A way to control the mind. She'd figured it out before. But a way to revert that without the involvement of the caster? That wasn't quite as simple. The plan was simple. She was to cause some sort of commotion to distract the knights and Alice and Kirito would get Eugeo and run, fighting the remainder if necessary. 

She was unsatisfied with being a mere distraction. She had promised to protect them and she would.

That night Eugeo sleeps. In the morning he has the distinct feeling that he has lost something, the way one loses a sock in the laundry. 

He eats breakfast alone before the rest of his patrol. He doesn't bother getting any of the other knights because he feels he has nothing of value to offer their conversations. 

He starts at the base of the tower and slowly winds his way upwards. 

That night, Selka found no sleep. She left early for a stroll in the gardens. Her chosen task was a simple yet heavy one. She was to take care of the knights within the tower and luckily many of the minister's guard were away. The plan was for her to distract them but what was the point if they were all being controlled? No, she would do better, she would have them see the truth.

Her first encounter is a lavender haired knight in the gardens.

She will be an enemy of the land after this. Her hands shake as she thinks of being hunted for the rest of her days. But then the peaceful days spent in Zakkaria, her memories of her sister, and her last image of Eugeo, scared and full of hope, run through her mind and her hands still.

She thinks of the almost illegible words written quickly on bits of parchment that detailed the discovered wrong doings of the church.

She thinks of injustice.

"Good day, Sir Eldrie."

She draws her blade.

Kirito was never told when to meet with the Administrator and he is grateful for that. However, Eugeo was not in his rooms and they were trying to take him away from here. Alice finds him pacing impatiently as she enters his quarters. 

He looks up at her, irritated for a moment before his expression shifts to concern. 

"What happened?!"

Alice lifts a hand to her face. 

"It is nothing, a mere surface wound."

"You… broke the seal on yourself?"

She nods plainly. 

"Just like that? It took Eugeo and Selka years- wait. Now isn't the time. Eugeo isn't here!"

"Calm down, he's been sent to patrol the tower. We will collect him and be on our way."

Kirito doesn't know what to do with his frustration so he merely stills himself and waits for Alice's judgement on what they should do. He tears a clean strip of fabric from his tunic, passing it to Alice to wrap her eye with.

"We will intercept him. We will remove him from her holiness' influence and set things right. Patrols start on the lowest floor so we will merely make our way downwards."

He nods. 

"I also… remembered something. I believe I may have witnessed some of Her experimenting. Let's be off. I will inform you on the way. There should be no one on the upper floors at this time."

As Eugeo ascends he notices something strange immediately.

There is no one around.

Perhaps he should go straight back to the top and report this? But no...he wants to do well for her, he wants her to be safe. He should check the other floors as well. So he continues to walk up and up and up.

A figure he has never seen before- he winces as pain shoots through his head- the haircut and the curve of the knight's shoulders looks surprisingly familiar.

Why can't he remember?

Their voice is faint as they turn, eyes covered by mussed auburn hair.

"Eugeo?"

He eyes the fallen knight only to spy the faint movement of her chest. Alive then. Which means his opponent's goal is not to kill.

Still he should let her know. He would rather not take risks in regard to her wellbeing. And he wants to be thorough so maybe she'll tell him he did well.

He draws his sword.

"Wait! Eugeo, it's me!"

"I don't know, or care, who you are."

He didn't. If they were endangering the one he loved, he would stop them at any cost.

"It's me...Selka.." they sounded faintly brokenhearted at that but the emotion in their voice only had him taking a step forward.

"Your armor is as high quality as a knight's. Where did you acquire it?"

Eugeo eyes this Selka person. Her stance screamed that it was her first day holding a sword - how did he know she was a  _ she _ , he normally tried not to be so rude. Her blade dipped towards the ground as though it was too heavy for her to hold.

"Sir Eldrie assisted me with it…"

" _ Why _ are you here?"

There were no more new knight trainees. He and yesterday's arrivals were the only ones. He felt a faint pain that Quinella would hide anything from him. But no. He trusted her not to do that.

She sighed, looking down, and he felt himself tense almost instinctively. He took a deep breath to relax his muscles. He may have to take her to his Lady Quinella.

Such thoughts quickly left him as he realized he couldn't breathe.

Suddenly Selka was in front of him.

"Please relax. I tried to free you," A blue blade sat hidden in her other hand, "But it didn't work. She did something different to you…she didn't remove anything, did she? She just twisted your mind as she wanted it. That's the only way this would work."

_ Two blades? _

Black spots popped at the edge of his vision and he began to panic. He was going to suffocate to death and this girl was going to take her from him.

His face scrunched up in anger.

Ice sprouted all around him and Selka narrowly avoids being impaled.

"Shit. What the hell!"

The art breaks and Eugeo greedily gulps in air. As she retakes her distance from him with a healthy amount of fear he feels himself grow dizzy. 

He can see her face clearly, the mix of alarm, fear, and annoyance on her face painfully familiar. 

He brushes the feeling away. It doesn't matter. His feelings don't matter, they're nothing compared to hers. 

"Eugeo please, do you remember me?"

"I don't care who you are… you're clearly an intruder."

Suddenly the knight that she had felled surges upwards, blade held against her throat.

"Nice to meet you newbie."

Eugeo doesn't respond.

"I am Fanatio Synthesis Two. You're on patrol correct? I'll hold this kid here. Go report this to our captain."

Eugeo gives a small bow before swiftly departing. 

Once his footsteps can no longer be heard, Fanatio drops to the floor, Selka dropping to her knees next to her. 

"You alright? Our newest knight is no joke, it seems."

She grips her short blade. She couldn't do anything against him. 

Even now she couldn't do anything to help him after all these years.

She nods shyly, breaking eye contact with Fanatio. Even with her released sword she still hadn't been good enough to save him. 

A pair of footsteps sound from below and she prepares to fight. She wasn't sure how much more she could do. She had already fought six knights and while she didn't count the fights as victories, she was exhausted. She had used her blades memories for every fight to free them from the Administrator's grip. In that sense she has won. None of them wanted to fight after she had revealed the truth. Her other sword was a ruse in a way. It had spellwork weaved into it and was deadly in its own right, but in these battles where she did not seek to subdue it was a mere distraction.

Fanatio quickly walked forward, helm forgotten at Selka's knees.

Golden hair and the edges of a black coat peeked around the corner of the arch and she let out a sigh of relief.

"Selka! Are you alright?"

She nods again.

"...Eugeo...went up that way. I couldn't stop him. He seemed to recognize me...at least a little."

She hears her sister speaking with Fanatio, appraising her of the situation. She doesn't remember her either. Will she be left in anyone's memories?

"Selka?"

"I'm okay…"

Heavy hands drop onto her shoulders as Kirito kneels in front of her, his face drawn, a little angry, and a little exasperated.

"Selka. I asked for you to distract them until we figured out how to reveal this to the knights, not  _ fix  _ them."

She shrugs.

"I did it for Eugeo...but my sword couldn't reach him at all. It cleanses and reveals truths but he didn't care about me at all. Does that mean that he never-"

"No. Eugeo loves you. I'm sure of it."

Selka looks up at Kirito, panicked, and he laughs, "You know how I mean."

Kirito felt almost intimidated by the girl before him. He wasn't sure he could hold his own against one or two synthesis knights in battle, yet she had made her way through  _ six _ and lived. He would have to give her a talking to later about endangering herself, but for now, he was painfully proud and he told her so.

Her sword fell the final distance to the ground as she started crying rather loudly.

"Please," she hiccuped, "You have to save Eugeo."

"We will. And then...I would like to get to know you Selka."

She was left with her sister’s kind words, Kirito's handkerchief - which she had no clue he actually carried around - and Fanatio to accompany her upwards once she had recovered her strength.

Alice and Kirito climb swiftly after locating Selka. She looks like she has questions but refrains.

"I do not think my synthesis can be undone as easily as the others'. I hope this doesn't sway her from speaking to me after all this is over."

"Alice...you really haven't changed at all."

They are silent after that.

Eugeo descends from the Administrator's rooms with a light heart. She had told him he had done well. That the intruder was a rogue trainee nun and he had done the right thing and now he was to intercept her as she seemed to be climbing the tower for some reason.

He doesn't make it far before his route is blocked by the new knight trainee he had spied upon the day before and Synthesis Thirty. 

He felt chances were low that they had been left untouched while all the other knights had been incapacitated. He pulled his sword from its scabbard, a ringing as soft as a bell sounding across the floor. 

Looking at the two faces before him made him feel so nostalgic he wanted to go seek out the Administrator for a nice sit by the fireplace and some tea. But no matter. He did this for her. His feelings didn't matter.

"...Eugeo? Do you remember me?"

He was filled with an inexplicable anger as he rushed forward.

He was sick of being asked that question. Who cared if he remembered or was remembered? His use was as a shield.

His forward thrust was blocked by a wave of yellow petals.

He raises his eyebrow at Alice, surprised that she too, would stand against him. She had seemed to be loyal to the Administrator but he supposed he had judged her wrong. 

It seemed he was the only one She could trust and he took pride in that. He was happy to be relied upon.

"Perhaps I should fight him? I don't think it's a good idea for you to-"

"No...I can talk some sense into him."

His headache continues to burn through him at their words. 

_ Kirito's feet slip against the trunk of the tree. _

_ "Maybe I should get him? I don't think this is a good idea-" _

_ Eugeo hugged the branch he sat upon, eyes wide. _

_ "No… I can save him!" _

_ Kirito loses his grip, letting out an oof as he falls to the grass below. _

_ Alice shakes her head, "I'm way better at climbing trees. Come on Yuu, I'll teach you some tricks on how to deal with your brother's dog! It's not as scary as it seems!" _

_ Eugeo pouts, shaking his head, "This is my new house. No dogs up here. I'm not coming down." _

_ "Then we're coming up there!" _

_ They watched the sun set from the top of the tree. _

"You...are not thinking straight, Kirito. I'll be better at handling him."

"No."

And something inside Alice recognized that she would not be able to sway Kirito when he got like this. The instinct was foreign and only led credence to Eugeo’s tale.

She backed away to the side.

"Eugeo. I have things to say to you."

Eugeo did not recognize the expression on his opponent's face like he had his others.

"Did you think no one would care if you were the sacrifice for us to be safe? There's no way I'd leave you here. What were you thinking?"

"Shut up."

"No really. I'd love to know. Because the last thing we told you to do was to be careful. To abandon this if you felt you were in danger. Did you not trust us to help you? Did you think if you found Alice and set us all back on our way home it'd be fine?"

"Shut. Up. That doesn't matter. None of that matters. All that's ever mattered is that I protect Her. She cares for me. I'll do everything to live up to that."

Alice gasps her mind making the leap of logic immediately, "She didn't take your memories like she did ours...they're there. You remember him, even now, even if you can't tell for yourself. She replaced him with herself."

He looked at Alice like she was crazy, "I dare you to insult Her in such a way again. She would never do that to me."

"No," Alice smiled, " _ H _ e would never do that to you. Everything you've said about her...are all things Kirito would never do to you. The way you speak about her….it is exactly how you described Kirito to me."

" _ That's  _ how you think, Eugeo? That I would want you to sacrifice anything for me? I...I just want you to be happy. Eugeo, please, snap out of it."

Eugeo had been letting the ice creep from around him as they slowly advanced towards each other. He would wait for the enemy to strike first.

"It doesn't matter how I think. If my Life can be useful to her then I gladly give it."

The comment sends Kirito reeling as he yells back, "If you cared about  _ her _ at all then you'd make sure you were alive to finish the job! And if she cared about you then she sure as hell wouldn't leave you here alone to face danger!"

Kirito took a step forward.

"You're wrong."

"I'm not wrong."

Eugeo lets out an angry breath, the first sign that anything they've said is getting through to him.

"You're wrong-" Eugeo shudders, suddenly feeling cold from his own sword's art.

" _ Kirito… _ "

Said boy gasps, "You remember me?" He takes another step forward, heedless of the ice.

"You three...have to get out. She's more dangerous than I thought- I-"

"You idiot! How many times do I have to tell you. I'm not going anywhere without you!"

Eugeo’s head hurt, it was more pain than he’d ever felt in his life. He felt for a moment that if he moved, he would collapse.

"You have to go! I'm not worth what she might do to you!"

"You're worth so much more," Kirito lowers his sword leaving his front open, "Eugeo...I love you. Did you forget about our promise already?"

And then the pain receded.

Kirito's voice was smaller than Alice had ever heard it in their short acquaintance and she feels probably her whole life as he stepped forward, either bravely or disregarding of his own safety into his friend's attack range, letting their blades gently push against each other. An eerie glow flowed from Eugeo's forehead before his hair covered it again.

Eugeo seemed to have halted his aggression as he mumbled, his face red at the affection. "...promise?".

"Yeah, do you remember what I told you? I'll tell you everything. Without you Eugeo, everything is meaningless...there's nothing. Without you, I don't think I can live- you should know this already. I need you to-"

And suddenly Eugeo's hand was fisted in Kirito's coat, pulling him flush against unforgiving steel armor while he still had control of himself. Alice could only term the action as intimate, as Eugeo leaned forward and kissed the other with a heat she never expected to see from the seemingly cold integrity knight. Her face heated up in turn as Kirito pressed desperately back, his free hand hooked into his armor and she quickly looked towards the half destroyed wall, rapidly changing her mind on her analysis of the two as friends. They clearly valued their friendship highly but by looking -or not looking in this case- she could see that they defined their relationship differently than that. Honestly, she found it improper, she was still  _ right there, _ this was a battle for Stacia's sake. She gently cleared her throat as she heard Kirito call Eugeo's name in a rather different tone and decided enough was enough. The noise had Kirito jerking from Eugeo's grip, clearly embarrassed at his slip in self control and Eugeo's eyes looking shyly downwards.

Alice doesn't blame Kirito for their moment, she could smell the fear on him from the moment they had found Selka  _ without _ Eugeo.

And she couldn't blame Eugeo for his attitude either. It sounded rather like Kirito refused to live without him, at least if Eugeo went this way.

She spies a sad smile on Eugeo's face as he leans back.

"I'm sorry, don't follow me okay?...I...I made a mistake...when you see Selka, tell her I'm sorry."

He runs a gentle hand across Kirito's shoulder as he releases him. There's the sound of two blades scraping again before suddenly the blue rose blade is stuck lightly into the ground.

" _ Release Recollection"  _ he commands softly.

"No! Eugeo, wait- why?! Let us help-"

And there was naught but ice and a deep silence.

Gentle footsteps carried the lone knight to the circular platform and he rose to the next floor.

It was silent for mere moments after that before she heard cracking before her, golden petals flowing like fire.

\--------------

As Kirito poked his head through the trap door leading to the Administrator's lair he immediately heard Eugeo's voice.

Before he could call to him he felt a rush of cold air. He slammed the trap door shut, almost quickly enough to knock Alice to the floor below.

She let out a noise of protest and as the rumbling stopped, Kirito tried nudging the door open. It was frozen shut, icicles dripping through points where air would normally escape.

Eugeo  _ screamed _ , the words unintelligble through the door, but Kirito panicked and used a sacred art to blast the door open. Eugeo said something else then. His vision went black for a moment at the use but he felt around and dragged himself into the room. By the time he had found his feet his vision returned and what he saw almost made him pause.

There was almost no surface uncovered by the blue rose blade's art. 

Kirito ran towards the center of the room before he could even process what he was seeing.

"What.." Alice had followed him and he was glad for that because he would probably get himself killed trying to slide over to Eugeo, he needed someone with common sense.

Eugeo's blade was turned on himself, poking most of the way through his forearm. His blood flowed in a steady stream from his heart, through his arm, and onto the bed that he crouched on, supported by his good arm.

"Eugeo, Eugeo- what did you-"

Kirito cut himself off at the look on Eugeo's face. A smile that didn't belong and eyes clenched in pain.

“I had to distract myself from her voice in my head..”

Kirito hovered, unsure whether or not to remove the blade.

His decision was taken away when Alice did it for him, sliding it from his arm in one smooth motion.

"It's okay," Eugeo said to them quietly, "It didn't hurt much."

Alice wordlessly handed the blade back to him. He didn't heal his arm. The ice didn't melt.

_ Liar _

Kirito took a deep breath before turning towards the Administrator. He would be glad to have the chance to deal with Eugeo's mess later. He took a step forward, intending to engage but Eugeo's hand gripped his wrist almost painfully pulling him backwards.

" _ Don't _ ."

Kirito was willing to admit that his friend was kind of scaring him, "You can't fight her alone…"

Eugeo's hand shook where it held Kirito, he was afraid too.

"I...I know but she...for..she...w-w-wants you for something. You can't. She can't have you, she can't…"

His words belied his panic but outwardly he seemed in control. Kirito didn't like it but he didn't advance further and relaxed his stance.

"...Okay, Eugeo. Alright."

He let out a shaky breath as he loosened his grip and Kirito laced a hand through his. The Administrator had regained her bearings and was staring at them as she stood, breaking the ice easily.

Before Eugeo could decide on what to do - he had learned a lot while trapped by her after all - Alice stepped forward.

He almost didn't process her words, outward defiance and derision of the Administrator's rule. She drew her blade. 

He could guess her thoughts as clearly as if she had spoken them.

_ We will protect Kirito...at any cost. _

He knew Kirito wouldn't stay quiet for long, he would jump in to defend them, no matter his acquiescence now.

_ At any cost… _

His eyes strayed upwards.

_ Ah. I suppose I was never meant to reclaim our lost memories… _

"20 seconds, Alice-san."

The grin she shoots Eugeo is stunning and almost feral.

"Ha! You think you can defy  _ me?! _ " An attack blasts towards them.

"I won't let you touch them!!"

Petals bloom and a shield encompasses them. Kirito's eyes widened as he drew his sword with more care than Eugeo had ever seen. His eyes swing towards Eugeo as he picks up his own blade, still covered in blood.

"Just Alice is fine. Now show me how you fight!"

**Author's Note:**

> If you catch any typos or continuity errors, please let me know! I reread this for 3 weeks, but it's highly possible there's stuff I missed! I'm sorry for the amount of time this took. Personally I think it could've been higher quality, but here we are. I have been working around some really bad depression and anxiety weeks, and writing Eugeo and Kirito's characters were hitting a bit too close for me to do too much at a time without getting really upset! But in a way, it helped me write their personalities better (I hope!). 
> 
> In regards to Quinella's quiet manipulation of Eugeo, I hope it was clear that he didn't choose a lot of his actions, that she was casually messing with his head and synthesizing him a little bit at a time. If it's not, I will adjust my writing in the next part to clarify it. I didn't want to detail how she hurt him in gruesome detail, but rather, let it be vague, just like how he feels it. He doesn't know all of what happened either. In addition, I want Selka to be strong, but I don't want her to lose herself, so I'm hoping to have a bit more of her in the next bits.
> 
> The next part will be all of War of Underworld! That part hasn't even been planned out, so it might be an even longer wait before I can publish, but I'll likely be faster than the anime. I read the light novel and I have plenty of ideas on how I want events to go. I know this pairing, and this fandom isn't the biggest thing and it's also been quite a while since Eugeo, but I'm thankful to all of you who read and stick with me! Until next time!


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